Should I trust CPU-Z's clock speed reading?

[Zak33]

Hi guys,

I've had a QX6700 for nearly 2 years now. It's on an intel mobo that won't overclock, and I've been tweaking my graphics settings recently on games to get better performance.

I'm now using Vista64, but previously has been on XP. I was clearing out old files and things on my PC today, spotted CPU-Z and ran it. It's an old version, and I wasn't sure it would be uptodate for Vista 64, so went and got the latest CPU-Z for 64bit OS.

It showed my CPU at 6x multi and clock of 1598 mghz

Fair enough...that's what EIST does...underclocks the CPU for energy savings.

I loaded up ARMA2 and ... it stayed at 1598 mghz

So I rebooted fresh, and right now I have running COD4 on one core (which uses around 2/3's of the clock speed), IL-2 on one Core, which uses 100% of the core, and CPU burn in on the other two cores.

And I still have a CPU-Z speed of 1598mghz.

So...do I distrust CPU-Z's speed reading? or is my cpu running at 1598?

Vista's System screen shows it at 2.67 all the time. Even when not under load.

Wassup dya think?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Try using a newer version of CPU-Z first. I would also use RM-Clock and CoreTemp too.

TBH,CPU-Z works fine with my overclocked Q6600 and shows the correct frequencies!

I would install OCCT or IBT and run either of these. If you CPU is not running at full speed you need to check the settings in your BIOS.

[PeterStoba]

Disable EIST and C1E and see if it continues

[nightkhaos]

Is it possible that your motherboard does not handle SpeedStep correctly? (I know, quite odd considering your motherboard is an Intel one, but stranger things have happened).

Or maybe you have turned SpeedStep off? Either of these could cause the aforementioned problem.

[Zak33]

Try using a newer version of CPU-Z first.

I am using the latest....i got it deliberately.

[jim]

I would trust CPU-Z personally. Is it possible on your motherboard to disable all of the energy-saving functions and try again?

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

RM-Clock can be used to mess around with changing the various energy saving settings.

[Zak33]

Disable EIST and C1E and see if it continues

EIST is now off, but can't find C1E.

Now CPU-Z shows it at 2.67 for a split second then back to 1.598

Will try running arma and stuff now.

[nightkhaos]

EIST is now off, but can't find C1E.

Now CPU-Z shows it at 2.67 for a split second then back to 1.598

Will try running arma and stuff now.

Sounds like you has fixed it. That is the expected behaviour of SpeedStep.

[Zak33]

for the record, Rm Clock won't install for some reason.

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Try running the install programme as administrator.

[Grey M@a]

I can tell you the problem instantly. Vista power options. My q6600 would report as a 1623mhz cpu until I chucked the power settings to the highest you can go and set the cpu min and max state to 100% For some reason Vista Ultimate 64 which I have does this no matter how many times I rebuild and I have to tweak the power settings.

Once you do this, reboot and then open the latest 64 bit CPUZ and you will see that your CPU will be running at full pelt

[Zak33]

Try running the install programme as administrator.

I have but it's not gonna have it. Must be a vista 64 compatibility issue somewhere along the lines.

[Zak33]

Is it possible that your motherboard does not handle SpeedStep correctly? (I know, quite odd considering your motherboard is an Intel one, but stranger things have happened).

looks like you might be right there chap.

[Zak33]

I can tell you the problem instantly. Vista power options. My q6600 would report as a 1623mhz cpu until I chucked the power settings to the highest you can go and set the cpu min and max state to 100% For some reason Vista Ultimate 64 which I have does this no matter how many times I rebuild and I have to tweak the power settings.

Once you do this, reboot and then open the latest 64 bit CPUZ and you will see that your CPU will be running at full pelt

will try that then chap.

[Lee H]

Whats the model of Intel SFF mobo ?